J&K yatra aborted

MUZAFFAR RAINA

Srinagar, July 31: The Omar Abdullah government today prevented a pilgrimage to the Kausarnaag lake by a group of Kashmiri Pandits, withdrawing permission at the last moment as parts of south Kashmir erupted in violent protests.

The Jammu-based All Kashmir Migrants Coordination Committee had announced the yatra two weeks ago claiming it was part of the traditional pilgrimage calendar till the outbreak of militancy.

Civil society and separatist groups deny the yatra’s historicity, allege it’s part of a Centre-backed ploy to “saffronise” Kashmir through spurious pilgrimages, and fear its likely effect on the ecology.

Kausarnaag lake, on the higher reaches of Kulgam, is a day’s trek from Aharbal, 75km from Srinagar and the last village accessible by road. The lake is a two-day trek from Jammu’s Reasi district, from where a yatrato it was started four years ago.